NL ROUNDUP.

Rapp, Marlins Keep Rolling

Pat Rapp pitched a five-hitter for Florida's second consecutive shutout and the visiting Marlins extended the best start in their history by beating the Cincinnati Reds 10-0 Friday night.

Rapp (1-0) provided an encore to Alex Fernandez's one-hitter Thursday at Wrigley Field by holding the Reds to three singles--two of them infield hits--and doubles by Eddie Taubensee and Willie Greene.

Marlins pitchers have thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Reds have lost five straight and six of seven because their starting rotation has collapsed. John Smiley (1-2) continued the slump by giving up seven runs--five earned--in five-plus innings.

Cardinals 4, Astros 2: Ron Gant, mired in a 5-for-32 slump with zero RBIs to start the season, hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning for host St. Louis.

Mark Sweeney walked with one out against Shane Reynolds (1-1) and Dmitri Young barely beat out a potential double-play grounder before Gant homered.

Rich Batchelor (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth in relief of starter Donovan Osborne. Dennis Eckersley, making only his second appearance of the season, struck out the side in the ninth for his first save.

Dodgers 7, Pirates 1: Raul Mondesi ruined Pittsburgh's first sellout since 1994 with a home run and a rally-killing throw to the plate.

The Dodgers, hitting only .212 entering the game, got more than enough offense from Mondesi and Greg Gagne, who had a bases-loaded triple in a four-run ninth.

Mondesi disappointed the lively Pittsburgh opening-night crowd of 43,126 by gunning down Al Martin at the plate on Mark Johnson's two-out single in the first, just as the Pirates seemed ready to take the lead.

Padres 8, Phillies 3: Steve Finley went 2 for 3 with four RBIs as San Diego spoiled Philadelphia's home opener.

Sterling Hitchcock, who gave up only one hit in eight innings last Saturday against the Phillies for his his first win this season, allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 2-0.

Curt Schilling, who has two of the Phillies' three wins this season, picked up his first loss, giving up seven runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings.